A Tale of True Friendship
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: When Little Lucie gets stricken with a deadly disease Sydney's first plan goes out the window. He does however have an alternate plan but it will require him to face up to the truth of something he had done long ago.
1. Sydney's Secret

Disclaimer: Well… Charles Dickens is dead and I'm definitely not him so I think it's pretty safe to say I don't own Tale of Two Cities

It is said that every man has a secret. This may or may not be true. If you asked Sydney Carton what his secret was he would hang his head in shame. He would also say that his secret was his biggest mistake. He would also say that it was his greatest accomplishment.  
How can it be his greatest accomplishment as well as his biggest mistake? The fact of the matter is Sydney though he was a desperate and bitter man had great capacity to love. He fell in love the first time when he was in collage. Her name was Sara. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on. She had golden hair. She had doll blue eyes. It was not only her beauty that attracted him. She was vibrant. She was kind. She was also saucy. Most people would tell him that was a bad quality… one that had to be curtailed and the dunking pool was just the thing to do it. He would just shake his head and roll his eyes.

"She is a person," he would say, "and she has a right to have her opinion. It doesn't have to agree with mine"  
Sara was his world. She was his heart and his soul. She was his hope. She was his breath. She was the light of his world. True as that was however he had lost her. She died on the day that he had proposed to her. They were kissing by the river and she had fallen in. It was a sharp fall and she had broken her neck. Depressed and full of sorrow Sydney began to drink. He was hoping to drink himself to death. He didn't care to live anymore. His reason for living was gone.  
It was several years later that Sydney met Lucie Mannette. He fell in love with her but by the time he had gotten the courage to tell her she was already in love with Charles Darnay.  
After Charles and Lucie were married Charles had to go out of town for a few days. Sydney got drunk. He had hit his head and when he woke up he believed himself to be Charles. He was so like Charles in mannerism that Lucie had no occasion to doubt it was Charles. That was the night Little Lucie was conceived.  
Sydney's secret was one he had hoped would never come to be discovered but it was a secret that he would only be able to keep for 7 years. Illness would make it impossible to keep the secret. It would test the boundaries of even the greatest friendship and come out stronger than ever.


	2. A Child's Illness

After Charles had been arrested and put in the bestial Lucie thought things could not have gotten any worse. Well things could and did get worse. One day at breakfast Little Lucie came down looking very feverish. Dr. Mannette kissed her forehead and frowned.

"She's warm to the touch," he said  
Lucie looked alarmed.

"What do you think is wrong," she asked her father.  
Dr. Mannette didn't think it was likely to be a big deal but he wanted to make sure.

"I'm sure it's probably nothing love but I would like to give her a quick once over just to make sure."

"In the least painful way possible," Lucie said firmly.

"None of this will hurt her," Dr. Mannette promised. Then he noticed a bruise on Little Lucie's arm. His heart sank down to his toes. He had seen this before in patients who had a rare blood disease. Still for the sake of his daughter he just smiled and shook his head.

"Like I said, "he told her, "I'm sure it's nothing"  
If the child did have this rare blood disease there was only treatments that could help and one possible cure though it was experimental.

"Come along dear," Dr. Mannette said, "and after we're done I will take you to the park"  
He took her temperature. He listened to her heart. He took a blood test using a tiny painless needle. She wasn't even aware that the needle had gone into her skin. Then he took his beloved grand-daughter to the park. He watched her as she played without a care in the world. He prayed that wasn't the end of that.

"Come along little one," Dr. Mannette told his grand-daughter a few hours later, "I'll take you to the toy store"

"Okay grandpapa," Little Lucie said cheerfully.  
At the toy store Little Lucie asked a hard question.

"When is father going to come home?"  
Doctor Mannette's eyes grew sad. But he kept his tone happy.

"We're working on that sweetheart," he said

"Is there anything **I **can do," she asked.

"You can just be a child right now," Dr. Mannette told her, "and let the grown ups be grown ups. We'll take care of it"  
Little Lucie chose a doll. She also chose a couple of other gifts, one for her mom and one for Ms. Pros. She also chose a gift for her dad. Dr. Mannette was sure that once the results came back it would be the end of that. Dr. Mannette was wrong.


	3. The Tale of Two Truths

The test results came in that afternoon. Dr. Mannette opened the envelope and shuttered. The child was suffering from that rare blood disease. There was little hope for the child but he would do everything he could in order to save her. They had already lost her little brother to the common cold.

"Father," Lucie asked, "What's wrong?"

"Come," Dr. Mannette said, "We must talk quietly"

Lucie followed him into his office.

"Lucie... there has been an illness... it's a rare blood disease that some people have gotten. I'm afraid the child has contracted that illness"

"Well what can be done," Lucie asked

"To begin with she's going to need a blood transfusion," Dr. Mannette replied, "I must test everyone to see if there is a match"

"But Charles-"

"One step at a time love," Dr. Mannette said, "Let's hope we find a match before it comes to him.

Lucie was tested first, followed by Ms. Pross, Mr. Lorey and Sydney ending with the good doctor of Bovay himself. Lucie, Dr. Mannette and Sydney's blood all matched. Sydney was the closet. Doctor Mannette spoke with Sydney while drawing the blood for the transfusion.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

"Like what," Sydney asked.

"Like maybe the fact that you're Little Lucie's father.

Sydney nearly chocked.

"Don't tell Lucie... or Charles-"

"Wait... how can Lucie not know"

Sydney hung his head.

"I was drunk that night. I hit my head on the pavement and I believed I was him. I believed I was Charles and I figured I had come back from my trip early. Once I remembered I said nothing. I didn't want **her **to be punished for my mistake."

"You are a noble man Sydney but it will eventually have to be brought to the light.

"I will tell them. I will tell them in my own way and in my own time"

"You need to let them know soon"

"Well I will"

After the transfusion Sydney went to the prison where he managed to get an interview with Charles. He told him everything.

"I know," he ended, "You might hate me but don't hold it against her or the child for what I did"

"I don't hate you," Charles said, "although I certainly hope you have gotten yourself sober. I would never hold anything against her. I find it both noble and self centered that you didn't say the truth until now. I realize you didn't want her to be punished for your error but you didn't want YOU to be punished for your wrong either"

"I will admit that"

"However if it weren't for you," Charles said, "I wouldn't have Little Lucie who I know and love as my daughter."

"Are we still friends?"

"Friends... yes of course. Do I trust you? Yes. You told the truth... years later but you told the truth"


	4. Why Question A Gift

_Sydney had a plan to get me out of La Force. He said his first plan didn't work because of circumstances. He said I should be expecting a visitor. I will know it is him by the code 17849. He will be wearing the number on his uniform. He will also be carrying a Scarlet pimpernel.  
I lay on my cot. I am excited beyond belief. I missed Lucie and I missed Little Lucie and I missed Dr. Mannette who had been like a father to me practically since I met him. I missed CJ sure but I knew the day would come where I would see him again. I should be angry. I mean the man did shag my wife for GOD sakes. It was as natural as breathing to be angry but instead I am grateful_. _I am getting my family back. Nothing else really seems to matter. My family is alright. Little Lucie may not be genetically mine but there is no question about it. She is my daughter. I don't feel any differently about her then I did 10 minutes ago. I don't feel any differently towards Lucie then I did 10 minutes ago either. That's not a surprise to me. What surprises me is my reaction to Sydney. I decided not to question it. I just went to bed and said a prayer of thanks. _


	5. The Introduction of Pimpernal

Charles may have gone to bed but he couldn't sleep at all that night. Little Lucie was gravely ill. He just discovered he was not her biological father. It didn't make one bit of difference to him. She may not have been genetically related to him but that didn't make her any less his daughter.  
CJ was his son. He was his son since Little Lucie was 3 1/2 and by then he had been her father for 3 1/2 years. Sure he was confused. Sure he was frustrated. Sure he was scared. Who wouldn't be? His daughter had a grave illness.  
The door opened. Charles could see a man walk in. His number on his uniform was 17849.

"Come with me," he said in a gentle voice, "My name is Pursey"

"Charles Darney"


End file.
